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SpaceX hot-fires Falcon 9 with Crew Dragon aboard prior to first orbital launch
SpaceX has completed a hot-fire test of Falcon 9 B1051 at Pad 39A, hopefully demonstrating that the company’s first human-rated rocket is ready to support the orbital launch debut of its Crew Dragon spacecraft.
Given NASA’s uniquely conservative tendencies, it’s hard to extrapolate from SpaceX’s well-worn launch operations. Nevertheless, if the data from this static fire show a healthy spacecraft and rocket, SpaceX will likely be well on their way to the first (uncrewed) orbital launch of Crew Dragon, currently expected no earlier than (NET) the second half of February.
TEST FIRE of #SpaceX Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon at 1600 ET / 2100 UTC! Appeared to go well. pic.twitter.com/a66CnBv7fU
— Emre Kelly (@EmreKelly) January 24, 2019
In an intriguing sign that Crew Dragon was fully fueled and ready to abort at any second, SpaceX Dragon recovery vessel GO Searcher was stationed in the Atlantic Ocean just a few miles East of Falcon 9’s static fire attempt at Pad 39A. In other words, if Falcon 9 were to have experienced a potentially catastrophic anomaly during propellant loading or Merlin 1D ignition, Crew Dragon would have likely ignited its 8 Super Draco abort thrusters to rapidly accelerate away from the rocket, theoretically saving itself (and any astronauts aboard). GO Searcher would have then quickly recovered the forlorn spacecraft after it deployed its parachutes and landed in the ocean, essentially a replay of the Pad Abort test SpaceX engineers and technicians completed in 2015.
Designed with the sole intention of ensuring that Crew Dragon is capable of safely aborting an anomalous launch and carrying astronauts to safety at almost any point between ignition and orbit, that same launch abort system (LAS) also offers the option for Crew Dragon to escape a potentially damaging situation even without a crew aboard. In the latter case, Crew Dragon’s hardware would be preserved for potential refurbishment and reuse, likely saving SpaceX and NASA tens of millions of dollars (if not $100M+) and cutting months off of the inevitable delays that would follow. Crew Dragon’s integrated LAS – meaning that the spacecraft brings it wherever it goes – is completely unique in the history of crewed spaceflight and ultimately offers unbeatable protection for any astronauts or passengers entrusted to it.
Thanks in large part to undoubtedly disruptive NASA demands that may well be far more conservative than necessary, SpaceX extensively re-engineered Falcon 9 for ease of manufacturing and extreme reliability, both of which go hand in hand. Among dozens of minor to major changes, M1D and MVac engines were modified to mitigate minor problems with turbopump blades fracturing, overall avionics redundancy was upgraded, and Falcon’s ultra-high-pressure helium storage tanks (COPVs) were drastically redesigned.

These upgrades were ultimately integrated into the iteration known as Block 5. According to SpaceX’s updated Falcon 9 and Heavy payload user guide, “[aside from the payload interface], all first- and second-stage vehicle systems are the same [for Dragon and satellite launches], indicating that the same exact rocket is produced for any given single-stick Falcon 9 launch. This means that all SpaceX customers, US government or not, benefit directly from the reliability demanded by NASA and the US military for crewed and uncrewed launches. It also means that SpaceX’s production system remains exceptionally simple, as just a single upper stage and booster variation is needed for the vast majority of the company’s launches. Falcon Heavy requires a unique center core booster and nosecones but is otherwise unchanged from Falcon 9.
According to Russian media, SpaceX is now targeting Crew Dragon’s launch debut NET February 16th. Liftoff will occur around 8am EDT (13:00 UTC) if that timeframe holds.
The Russians are claiming NET 16th, but again – don’t go booking any flights. That may not stick.
PS This is not unexpected. Lots of first time (unique mission) reviews, ISS in play, etc. etc. It’ll be mostly paperwork related.
— Chris B – NSF (@NASASpaceflight) January 21, 2019
Elon Musk
Elon Musk just dropped a huge detail on the Tesla Roadster
“Whether it’s good or bad, it will be unforgettable. My friend Peter Thiel once reflected that the future was supposed to have flying cars, but we don’t have flying cars. I think if Peter wants a flying car, he should be able to buy one.”
 
														Elon Musk dropped a huge detail on the Tesla Roadster on his latest appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast.
Tesla has been teasing the Roadster for years. The company has constantly delayed the vehicle, hoping to push its limits past anything that is even imaginable by the human mind.
Earlier this year, the company said it would put on a “most epic demo” for the Roadster, displaying and unveiling all its capabilities, some new, some previously talked about. However, nobody really knows what to expect.
On the JRE Podcast, Musk joined Rogan for an over three-hour conversation about a variety of topics, but Tesla was something that was evidently on the agenda.
One of the parts of the Tesla conversation that is getting a lot of attention is Musk’s new teasing of the Roadster, saying it has “crazy technology” that might not even qualify as an automobile in the classic sense.
Musk confirmed that Tesla is “getting close to demonstrating the prototype,” and said he can guarantee the demo “will be unforgettable.”
He continued:
“Whether it’s good or bad, it will be unforgettable. My friend Peter Thiel once reflected that the future was supposed to have flying cars, but we don’t have flying cars. I think if Peter wants a flying car, he should be able to buy one.”
Musk went on to say, with a smile, that Joe would have to “wait and see” what Tesla had come up with.
He went on:
“I think it has a shot at being the most memorable product unveil ever. [It will be unveiled] hopefully before the end of the year. You know, we need to make sure that it works. This is some crazy technology in this car. Let’s just put it this way: if you took all the James Bond cars and combined them, it’s crazier than that.”
Tesla has said for years that the Roadster would be able to at least hover, thanks to a SpaceX package that would feature cold gas thrusters that would help the vehicle get in the air.
Musk seemed very confident in his answers and very excited to show off what the Tesla Roadster is capable of. The real question is: how long will it take Tesla to get the car to market after the launch and unveiling? How many units will it manufacture? How much will it cost?
All of those things are details we will have to wait for Tesla to reveal at the Roadster event.
News
Tesla targets gas car owners with this crazy new promotion
Tesla is now offering 2,000 free Supercharging miles to any gas car owner who chooses to trade their car in on a Tesla. The promotion requires a gas or hybrid electric vehicle to be turned in for any of the vehicles in Tesla’s lineup.
 
														Tesla is targeting gas car owners with a crazy new promotion launched on October 31, its latest move to boost sales amidst the loss of the $7,500 electric vehicle tax credit, which went away on September 30.
Tesla is now offering 2,000 free Supercharging miles to any gas car owner who chooses to trade their car in on a Tesla. The promotion requires a gas or hybrid electric vehicle to be turned in for any of the vehicles in Tesla’s lineup.
If you do that, you get 2,000 free miles of Supercharging, which can be utilized at any of the chargers on the Tesla network within the next two years:
🚨 New Tesla Incentive Just Dropped!
Trade in your gas/hybrid vehicle & get
FREE Supercharging ⚡️• Must trade in a gas or hybrid vehicle
• 2,000 miles of Supercharging, valid for 2 yearsWould you trade in your gas car for 2,000 free miles? pic.twitter.com/8uEQySr1py
— DennisCW | wen my L (@DennisCW_) October 31, 2025
Supercharging is rarely a Tesla owner’s primary source of charging, but for some owners, it is critical to their ownership experience.
While many homeowners or apartment dwellers are able to utilize charging infrastructure they either installed themselves or were provided by their property management company, others are totally reliant on the wide variety of charging options that are available today.
🚨🚨 Owning an EV without home charging can be CHEAP with Tesla Superchargers!
Watch til the end to see how much I spent to charge my @Tesla Model Y@TeslaCharging @MdeZegher pic.twitter.com/jRIWkdJvY6
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) October 31, 2025
Tesla’s Supercharging Network has expanded rapidly over the past few years, mostly in preparation for the company to open it to other EV manufacturers, most of which have adopted the company’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) in the United States.
Its latest quarterly earnings Shareholder Deck revealed a 16 percent increase in stations in Q3 compared to the same timeframe in 2024. Meanwhile, connectors have increased by 18 percent in the same timeframe. There are over 73,800 connectors in the Tesla Supercharger Network globally.
The move could be looked at as a way to incentivize people to switch to electric vehicles, and it is something we have seen Tesla experiment with over the past month.
It has played with leasing terms, and we will likely see more incentive offers, like this Supercharging one or even Full Self-Driving trials for those who choose to make the switch over the next two months.
Tesla routinely offers some tasty deals in Q4 as it aims to round out the year with a strong delivery and production report for investors. Q4 is statistically Tesla’s strongest three-month period in any given year. However, Q3 was Tesla’s strongest performance in terms of vehicle deliveries in company history, as it narrowly missed the elusive 500,000 mark for a quarter.
News
Tesla Cybercab sighting highlights big change since 2024 unveiling
Based on an image recently taken of the vehicle, it appears that Tesla has made the Cybercab’s cabin easier to get in and out of.
 
														A recent sighting of the Tesla Cybercab in the wild has teased a pretty interesting update that has been implemented on the autonomous two-seater.
Based on an image recently taken of the vehicle, it appears that Tesla has made the Cybercab’s cabin easier to get in and out of.
Recent Cybercab sightings
As per recent posts on social media, it appears Tesla has started testing the Cybercab on public roads. Images posted by Tesla community members in Palo Alto showed a Cybercab prototype being driven near the company’s engineering headquarters. Interestingly enough, the vehicle was equipped with a steering wheel.
It’s not just the Cybercab’s steering wheel that caught a lot of attention, however. Based on observations by EV watchers online, it appears that Tesla has also made the Cybercab’s door a bit larger. This should make it easier for passengers to get into and out of the autonomous two-seater. The position of the camera in the B-pillar also appears to have been adjusted slightly. 
All-in on autonomy
While Cybercab prototypes that are seen in the wild today are fitted with a steering wheel, the vehicle will be produced strictly as an autonomous Robotaxi. This was highlighted by Elon Musk during the third-quarter earnings call. Musk also expects about 2 million Cybercabs to be produced every year, making it the company’s highest-volume vehicle.
“The single biggest expansion in production will be the Cybercab, which starts production in Q2 next year. That’s really a vehicle that’s optimized for full autonomy. It, in fact, does not have a steering wheel or pedals and is really an enduring optimization on minimizing cost per mile for fully considered cost per mile of operation,” Musk said during the Q3 2025 earnings call.
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